No Way Back
by xXShikigamiXx
Summary: The Male MC is recruited into the God Eaters, leaving everything he once knew behind. He struggles with his new responsibilites as a God Eater and his own personal turmoil.
1. Introduction

I don't own Gods Eater Burst, it belongs to Namco.

This fandom seriously needs a bit more love. Oh well. I'm gonna take a shot at writing a full fic for this since someone asked. I'm using my Male MC, and there will be lots of mythological references.

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><p>The world used to be a very different place.<p>

Nowadays, humankind live in constant fear of creatures known as the Aragami. Aragami, the enemies of all mankind. They had appeared out of nowhere and begun to devour everything, leaving ruin in their wake. The more they devoured, the more they evolved and changed until they resembled certain divine figures.

To combat this threat exists the organization, Fenrir. Named after the monstrous wolf who was to devour Odin when Ragnarok came. And their means of defeating the Aragami lied with their special defense force.

The God Eaters.

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><p><em>Fenrir: Far East Branch<em>

In the Director's office, a man with blonde hair sat at the chair, his hands folded together. The screen before his eyes scrolled down through different profiles and displayed different sets of data. A voice over the intercom broke the humming silence, "Director, we've found a possible match for a New-Type God Eater in the database."

"I see," he said, "What's his name?"

He reached over and pressed a key to bring up the data. Eyes scanned the profile with mild interest, taking in every detail. His hands returned to their original position, "Hmm... Let's get him down here to take the aptitude test."

He left it at that.

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><p>The main lobby of the Fenrir Far East Branch really was a sight to behold. It was Izanagi's first time seeing it. All around him, God Eaters were walking to and fro murmuring to one another and working at the terminals.<p>

_'So this is what Fenrir looks like on the inside...' _Izanagi adjusted his blue headphones and pulled his white arm warmers up. He felt tense and nervous. To be recruited out of the blue like this when his mother was still at home with all of his little brothers and sisters. Would they be okay without him?

_'No! Focus. Focus on the task at hand!' _Izanagi shook his head, a determined look on his face. He looked around the room, spotting the elevator, the entrance, and the stairs. Izanagi walked to the elevator and punched in the button he needed.

The elevator stopped and he disembarked. The room it had brought him to was spacious and large. In the middle of the room was a stand, holding what appeared to be a large sword. Red eyes blinked and anxiety began to rise again. Izanagi swallowed thickly.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting so long," a man's voice said over the intercom. The albino's head jerked up to where he knew people were standing, watching him. "Now then, let me welcome you to... humankind's last fortress, Fenrir. I will now test your compatibility as a member of the Anti-Aragami Punitive Force, the God Eaters. Please try to relax a little. You'll get better results that way."

Easier said than done. Izanagi could feel the exact opposite and his heartbeat sped up.

"When you're ready, go stand in front of that case in the center of the room."

_'When I'm ready?' _Izanagi took one step forward and stopped. The closer he was to the case, the further he was from his old life. Of all the times to get second thoughts, why now? No. He made up his mind. He was going to carry through with this. Taking a deep breath to steady himself Izanagi strode forward towards the red case. He then reached out and wrapped his right hand around the hilt.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the top slammed down, locking his arm in. place. A horrid squishing sound came from inside and pain shot up through his arm. Izanagi jerked and gripped his arm tightly, "Ngh...!"

_'What the-it feels like a animal's tearing into my wrist...!'_

Izanagi panted, trying to get needed oxygen into his body. His heart pounded in his head and sweat dripped down his brow. He went slightly limp when the spasms of pain finally calmed down. The case lifted to reveal his new God Arc.

"..." He lifted his head up, finally regaining his bearings. Izanagi lifted the God Arc up into the air. For such a huge weapon it felt so light. Not as heavy as he had expected. A black tentacle suddenly reared up like a snake and lodged itself into the opening of the red bangle around his wrist. His eyes widened in surprise as a black substance encased his hand, "Eh?"

"Congratulations. You are now the first of the Far East Branch's "New Type" God Eaters," the man spoke again, "This concludes the aptitude test."

_'... That's it? Seriously?' _Izanagi felt a little underwhelmed. Then again... he hadn't expected it to be that painful either.

"Now that we know you're a match, you'll be going for a medical check up next. Now then, I'd like you to wait in the room beyond that door. Don't hesitate to let someone know right away if you start feeling unwell."

Was there some kind of potential disease he could contract by going through this? Lovely. Just lovely.

"I have high hopes for you!"

"Meh..." Izanagi turned and walked towards the door. He was still a little shaken up from the test and it took all of his willpower to not collapse.

_'What the hell have I gotten myself into?'_

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><p>End intro.<p>

Okay. Hopefully I don't stop in the middle of this fic like most of the others. Updates will be slow because of school.

Bio:

Name: Izanagi

Last Name: Kusanagi

Code Name: Same as his last name

Age: 17

Eyes: Red

Hair: White

Mother: Tsukiko

Father: Kotaro(deceased)

Brothers (with ages): Kyo(10), Takuto(8), Jiro(7)

Sisters (with ages): Mayu(12), Hana(8), Akira(9), Nadeshiko(7)

His treasured possession(s): The blue headphones he wears and his late father's journal.

Review. No flames. I hope I conveyed at least some of Izanagi's personality here.


	2. Medical Checkup

I don't own Gods Eater Burst.

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><p>After the rather painful test, Izanagi once again found himself in the waiting room. The red bangle was still around his wrist but one of the mechanics had come to put his God Arc back in the storage area. He didn't feel too bad after the experience. At the most he was still shaky about the whole thing. He walked over to the couch and sat down on it. Another boy had been sitting there already.<p>

He was a red head with a beanie cap, yellow jacket that was unbuttoned at the bottom to show his navel and a shirt with a spider design and baggy shorts. A striped scarf was loosely wrapped around his neck, different from the choker-like cloth Izanagi wore. He glanced at Izanagi, a friendly sparkle in his brown eyes, "Hey, want some gum?"

Izanagi tilted his head slightly in response. The boy rummaged through his pocket and came up with nothing.

"Oh, I'm all out. Looks like I used the last piece. Sorry 'bout that."

Izanagi shook his head, a warm smile on his face. Although the gum had sounded nice...

"I am Kota Fujiki," Kota introduced himself, "What's your name?"

Izanagi swallowed. He knew this would happen sooner or later. He wondered if his superiors knew of his condition. They had to know, right? Regardless, Izanagi introduced himself, "Izanagi Kusanagi."

"Nice to meet ya! So you were a match, too?"

Kota certainly didn't beat around the bush. Izanagi nodded his head in confirmation.

"That makes two of us. You must be my age... or maybe a little older," Kota shrugged, "Oh well, I'm still your senior by a nanosecond!"

The headphones wearing teen quirked an eyebrow in response. Kota continued to kick his legs, "You're not much of a talker are you..."

Izanagi frowned a little and looked down at his hands. His new acquaintance saw his change of mood, "Hey, you okay?"

_'I'm fine...' _Izanagi only nodded silently. The sound of heels clacking against the metal plating of the floor made both teenagers look up. A woman wearing a rather revealing white outfit was walking towards them. She gave a mature and professional vibe, the kind that put Izanagi on edge. Clearly, she was someone of importance.

Her eyes fell upon the two boys, "... Stand up."

"Huh?" Kota looked bewildered.

"I said "Stand up!" On your feet!" she repeated sharply. Kota and Izanagi both scrambled to their feet and stood up straight. Izanagi's entire posture went rigid. This woman was terrifying.

"I'm on a tight schedule, so I'll be keeping this short. My name is Tsubaki Amamiya, and I'm your advisor," Tsubaki stated. She never took her eyes off of them as she continued, "This is your schedule - after the medical checkup, you'll complete a full curriculum of basic physical training, basic combat training, as well as a weaponry/armor clinic. We are the ones who have been protecting you up until now. But form this day forward, you'll be doing the protecting. If you don't want to die over something stupid, then answer my every order with a "Yes." Understood?"

"..." Both Kota and Izanagi were tongue-tied. Tsubaki asked again, "Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am!" Kota replied hastily. Izanagi only straightened his posture a bit more to respond.

_'S-scary...' _he whimpered in his head. Tsubaki looked satisfied with that answer, "All right, let's begin the medical checkups. We'll start with you." Tsubaki was looking at him. Izanagi met her gaze with his own nervous one.

"Report to Dr. Paylor Sakaki's room by 1500 hours. Take a tour of the facilities until then," Tsubaki said.

"This is your new home, the Fenrir Far East Branch, a.k.a "The Den." Make sure you pay your respects to the members of your team."

_'Sure... if I only knew who they were.'_

Kota wasted no time in wandering off in a random direction. Izanagi bowed politely to Tsubaki before wandering off to explore on his own. As he entered the elevator and punched one of the buttons, he was struck by a thought.

_'Do they not have maps for this place?'_

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><p>Twenty minutes later, Izanagi was speeding down the hallways, very much afraid he was late.<p>

_'Oh thank god, there it is!'_

The door with the nameplate Dr. Sakaki written on it had come into view. Izanagi slowed to a walk, breathing a little heavy from his sprint. When he finally regained it, he took a deep breath to steady his nerves and opened the door. Two older men were inside the room, one of the sitting down at what appeared to be a computer. The blonde man was regal in appearance, and his blue eyes trained to where Izanagi was.

The man at the computer looked at him from underneath his quarter-moon spectacles, "Hmm... you got here 726 seconds sooner than I had expected. Good to see you, New-Type!"

_'I have a name you know,' _Izanagi thought sourly.

"I'm Paylor Sakaki, and I'm in charge of Aragami technology R&D," Dr. Sakaki said. Well, that explained quite a bit. Izanagi kinda did figure it since the man looked the part but well... never judge a book by its cover, that's what his mother always said to him.

"Well, we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Welcome aboard," the doctor said, still smiling pleasantly. Izanagi eyed the man warily, _'I guess he's not so bad...'_

"Now then, as you can see, I'm still pretty busy getting prepared. Johannes, why don't you get your business out of the way first?"

"Dr. Sakaki," the regal man, Johannes, spoke in a voice fitting of a aristocrat, "I think it's high time you you learned to spearate business from private matters." He turned to Izanagi, "Thank you for taking part in the Aptitude Test. My name is Johannes von Schicksal. I'm in charge of the Fenrir Branch of this region."

_'He must not be from the Far East then...' _Izanagi smiled slightly and bowed in response.

"You are Izanagi Kusanagi, yes? Congratulations again on passing the test. I expect great things from you. If your name is any indication, my expectations shouldn't be misplaced."

His name... Was it really so unique that people would have these ideas about his character? He already knew the answer but it never stopped him from asking. Dr. Sakaki spoke up in between his typing, "He's a former techie too, you know. The New-Types' medical checkups interest you to no end, right, Johannes?"

Johannes turned his head towards Sakaki, "I decided to retire as a techie because we have you. Keep that in mind."

"Did you really ever retire though?" Sakaki asked in a teasing tone. Johannes regarded Sakaki calmly before turning his attention back to the white-haired boy standing in front of them, "Hmm. Now then, this is where the real fun starts."

Izanagi blinked, _'Real... fun...?'_

"Let me explain the Fenrir Corporation's objectives once more. Your direct duties are very simple. They are to keep the Aragami in this region at bay, and to gather materials which are then converted into resources needed to maintain this advanced base, as well as complete the impending "Aegis Project."

"Ugh." Izanagi looked at Dr. Sakaki when he heard the sigh, "Look at these numbers!"

"The Aegis Project," the white-haired boy's attention went back to Johannes, "is, simply put, a plan to create a utopia impregnable against Aragami attacks, located far out to sea, close to the former Sea of Japan trench."

"Ahh," the doctor made a intrigued sound.

"Once the project is complete, humankind will be able to avoid extinction, at least for a while."

"Amazing! So this is what a New-Type is like!"

"Paylor," Johannes said with irritation lacing his voice, "You're disupting my lecture."

"Oh, sorry about that," the doctor apologized, "I was just so taken aback by these stats... I got carried away."

Izanagi tilted his head in confusion at that response. Were New-Types not like regular God Eaters? What was so special about him being a New-Type anyway?

"At any rate, the future of humankind is at stake. So give it your best effort, Kusanagi-kun."

Izanagi snapped back to attention and nodded his head vigorously. Johannes announced, "All right, I'll be taking my leave now. I'm leaving it all to you, Paylor. Send me the data when you're done."

With that, the director promptly left the room. Izanagi watched the door slide shut, blocking the other from view.

"Okay, we're good to go now. Lie down on that bed, will you?" Dr. Sakaki gestured to the cot in the room, "You'll feel sleepy for a little while , but I assure you there's nothing to worry about. When you wake up, you'll be in your own room. Just a little cat nap. You'll get about 10,800 seconds."

Izanagi frowned a little, _You don't have to tell me the exact number...'_

"I also heard about your condition. As long as you don't do anything to strain your voice, you should be fine. But I'm sure you already knew that."

"Yes," Izanagi said curtly.

"All right. Sweet dreams!"

Izanagi lied down on the cot as instructed. As the doctor typed away, his eyes began to grow heavy. They slid shut and he sunk into the blissful darkness of sleep.

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><p>In the director's office, Johannes was looking over Izanagi's bio once again.<p>

_'Izanagi...' _Johannes folded his hands underneath his chin, _'Named after a noble god. I hope you do not disappoint me, young man.'_

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><p>End chapter.<p>

Augh... My throat hurts and I'm losing my voice...

For those of you who don't know, Izanagi is the name of the Japanese Creator God. And on another note, Kusanagi is a sword that was one of the three divine gifts Amaterasu gave to her grandson, which was given to her by her brother Susano-O after he had slain Yamata-no-Orochi.

Review.


	3. Training Session

I don't own Gods Eater Burst, it belongs to Namco.

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><p>True to Sakaki's words, Izanagi had found himself in his own room. He had woken up to find himself in a fluffy, warm bed. It was a bit strange actually. To wake up in a bed without having one or almost all of his siblings huddled up against him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, "Mrh..."<p>

Fingers raked through his disheveled snow-white hair and he took a look around. It was a spacious room, complete with a small kitchen, fridge, and terminal. The suitcase with all of his belongings was sitting on the couch.

_'I should probably unpack before doing anything else.'_

His bare feet touched the rug of his room and he stretched a bit before setting to work. Everything had to be organized and put away neatly. During his unpacking, he found a lot of stuff he didn't remember putting in there. A game system, a blanket, and a familiar stuffed animal. Izanagi held the fuzzy object in his hands in bewilderment, the black bead eyes staring back into his red orbs.

_'Geez, Takuto...' _Izanagi sighed before placing the bear gently ontop of the table. He knew his little brother had meant well, giving him his security blanket like this. But, damn it, he was going to be fighting, not sleeping over at a friend's house!

_'They better be brushing their teeth every morning and changing their clothes,' _he thought to himself as he went to take a shower. Today would be the first day as a God Eater and Izanagi was already wondering how it would start.

He wasn't muscular, but he was slim and quick on his feet. Izanagi stepped out of the shower and proceeded to dry and dress himself. While he dried his damp hair and brushed his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror. The pale skin on his neck was marred by a faded scar. He reached up and touched the rough flesh, remembering that this was the reason for his condition.

"..." His hand dropped and he started to brush his hair. Once outside, he grabbed his blue headphones and exited the room.

Out in the hallway, a pink-haired teen wearing a baseball hat was chatting with a blonde teenager.

"-don't have any good rewards-"

"-risk not worth it-"

_'Maybe I should just go,' _Izanagi thought. He was about to sneak past the two when the cap-wearing teen noticed him.

"Hey! You're that New-Type rookie, right?"

_'Aw crap...' _Izanagi turned around to face the two of them. He nodded his head.

"Cool. I'm Shun Ogawa, one of your seniors," Shun gestured to the blonde next to him, "This is Karel Schneider."

"Izanagi Kusanagi," he introduced himself. He and Shun shook hands, sicne it was the polite thing to do. Izanagi waved "bye" to them as the elevator door closed and brought him to the main lobby.

There, he was met by Kanon Daiba, Gina Dickson(at first glance, Izanagi thought she was a boy), Licca Kusunoki, Tatsumi O'mori, and Brendan Bardell. They were all very nice people.

_'Okay. I'm sure I'll be to work with them,' _he thought, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, hey!" the familiar sound of Kota's voice reached his ears. Izanagi waved to the energetic brunet in response. Kota was grinning sheepishly, "Did you check your messages?"

Izanagi shook his head.

"Aw man. But, seriously, do you know when my medical check up is? I forgot."

"..." Izanagi just gave him a look. He took a deep breath, then let loose a hefty sigh before wandering over to one of the terminals. Behind him, Kota was making excuses and rambling about other things. Izanagi brought up his messages to check.

Kota's, welcome messages, one from... Kanon? Junk, junk, junk, junk...

_'One from Tsubaki... I better get moving then,' _he scanned its contents before shutting the monitor off. "Bye."

"Eh? Where are you going?"

"Combat training."

Izanagi disappeared behind the elevator doors.

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><p><em>'Okay... so I switch between my gun and blade by doing this... then I deploy my shield with this. Seems simple enough.'<em>

"We will now begin the training simulation. We shall begin with the melee test. Defeat all of the simulations." Three purple holograms appeared. Izanagi braced himself and charged forward. The blade swung down onto one of the holograms. Once the first test was done, the range test came, then how to gather materials from a fallen Aragami. Up above, people were monitoring Izanagi.

"Average strength... exceptional speed... but these numbers are amazing..."

Johannes watched from the balcony that was separated from the training area by a thick glass window. Izanagi rolled out of the way of another hologram and fired off a mortar, knocking it down on its side.

"Watching the recruits train? This is a first."

Dr. Sakaki strode over to him, still smiling that same fox-like smile. Johannes regarded him, "Doctor."

"It is quite fascinating, isn't it? New-Types are far more versatile than Old-Types and can adapt to combat with different kinds of Aragami," Sakaki mused.

"Quite so," the blonde man agreed, never averting his eyes from the window. Izanagi had finished the simulation was having Tsubaki read off his results to him. Licca came in and took his God Arc back ot the storage area and he vacated the premise quietly.

"I understand Izanagi is to be sent out on a mission soon. Are you sure about making this decision?" he asked the Director. Johannes answered, "Simulations are just that. They don't measure his full capacity; so yes, I am sure."

For the briefest moment, there was a disapproving frown on Sakaki's face.

A placating smile was on Johannes's face, "Fear not, Doctor. I wouldn't send him out by himself since he is a recruit after all. Lindow shall be there with him."

"... Hmph. If it's Lindow, I shouldn't have to worry now, shall I?" Dr. Sakaki left.

"No... You will not at all."

Elsewhere, Izanagi sneezed.

"Mmph..." he sniffled and looked up at the cieling with a confused look. Was someone talking about him?

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><p>End chapter.<p>

Next up, mission with Lindow! And I've been agonizing over the announcement of Gods Eater Burst 2, coming out next year. I want it to be localized, grah!

Review.


	4. First Mission: Lindow

I don't own Gods Eater Burst, it belongs to Namco.

And I should've clarified this. Izanagi is wearing the Casual Top: White and Casual Bottom: Plum.

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><p>Izanagi sat on a bench in the lobby while Hibari typed away at her station. His eyes were closed, focusing on the music playing on his headphones. All of the other God Eaters were either off on their missions or down in the training areas, leaving him alone for the most part.<p>

_I must move on_

_And I must not give into this insane world_

_Its got a hold on me now-_

"Oh, Lindow..." Izanagi cracked one eye open when Hibari's voice filtered through the music. A black haired man dressed in earth-colored clothes was standing next to her desk.

"The Director said if I saw you, to tell you to come see him."

"Ok! Don't tell him you saw me," Lindow waved a hand. While the elder approached him, Izanagi quietly shut off his MP3 player and stood up. Lindow smiled kindly, "Hey there, rookie. The name is Lindow Amamiya. On paper, I'm your superior officer. But, uh, never mind all that boring stuff, okay?"

Izanagi blinked and quirked one eyebrow.

"All I'm asking is that you become someone I know will have my back. Ok?" he clarified.

"Oh, who's this, a rookie?" a woman asked. She was dressed in black and green clothes and probably around the same age as Lindow.

"Yeah, and I'm pounding him with all our severe rules right now, so take a hike, Sakuya."

"Yes, sir! Big Boss, sir!" Sakuya said in a light mocking tone. She waved at Izanagi and he bowed back in response. When she left, Lindow returned to his introduction lecture, "So anyway, that's about it. Ok?"

A nod was all he recieved.

"I'm sending you right into battle now... but I'll be accompanying you on this mission," Lindow glanced at the clock, "Hey, look at the time. We're gonna head out now, rookie."

Izanagi nodded his head again. The ruined city was where they would be doing this mission and Izanagi could feel the nervousness and anxiety seep into his bones.

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><p>The helicopter dropped the duo off in the City of Mercy before flying back to the Den. Izanagi's eyes took in the surrounding area. It was a complete wasteland; what had once been a bustling city full of life and people was nothing than a relic from the past that felt so far away.<p>

"Boy, this place has seen better times, huh?" Lindow said. His God Arc was slung over his shoulder in a casual and relaxed manner, the complete opposite of the white-haired boy. Izanagi's hand were gripping the handle of his God Arc like a lifeline. Lindow turned to him, "Hey, rookie, we're going to start the simulation now. You got 3 orders. Don't die. If your numbers up, get out. Lastly, hide. If you're lucky, catch the enemy off guard and blast it."

Lindow paused, "Wait, is that 4?"

Izanagi rolled his eyes, "Ugh..."

"The bottom line is, you've got to survive. Just follow that order, and everything else will be fine."

At another nod of confirmation, Lindow raised one eyebrow. His new charge was really quiet.

"Hey, uh... I'm not scary, am I? You've been really quiet this whole time..."

Izanagi's eyes went wide and he vigorously shook his head. _'It's not your fault! You're not scary at all!'_

Lindow rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, "If you're sure... Do you not like talking or something?"

Izanagi went very still. After a inner debate he reached up with one hand and pulled the white fabric covering his neck down, tilting his head back a little. When Lindow saw the scar, he winced, "That's the reason..."

"Yes... I can't talk too much," Izanagi pulled the fabric back up.

"All right, let's get this show on road! Stick close, rookie."

They both jumped down onto the dusty ground and began their search. The eeriness of the city did little for Izanagi's nerves. He was high strung and wary of every single shadow and building they passed by. He looked at Lindow who had his back to him.

_'Lindow-san looks so relaxed. He doesn't seem to be worried at all...' _Unlike himself. It took all of willpower to not shake in his boots. Izanagi fumbled in his pocket, fingers searching for his MP3 player. Turning it on, he dialed the volume down so he could still listen to his surroundings. The softened orchestra helped his muscles relax.

"Wait," Lindow held his arm out, stopping Izanagi. Up ahead was a Ogretail feasting on another Aragami's corpse.

"On my mark, we're going to charge. Ready? 1, 2, 3... GO!" They both flew out from their spot behind the ruined building. The Ogretail lifted its head and roared when it saw them. Lindow was the first to land a hit, slicing at its head. Izanagi followed with several stabs to its legs. The Aragami roared in pain and fell to the ground, still not quite dead. Izanagi drove his knife into the Ogretail's belly, spilling blood out on to the ground.

The Ogretail gave one last dying shriek before becoming completely still. Izanagi breathed heavily, sweat dripping down his face, heart pounding in his chest. His knees felt weak from the adrenaline rush he had recieved during the rather short-lived battle.

"Not bad. Most rookies freeze up but you went with the flow," Lindow patted his shoulder. Izanagi swallowed and straightened up, his body still shaking. The 1st Unit leader's God Arc turned into a black mout of sorts and it bit into the dead Ogretail, retrieving the core.

"Mission cleared. Let's get back to the Den before you collapse."

Izanagi couldn't have agreed more. The helicopter came into the sight and picked the two of them up. Izanagi felt drained and hungry.

_'There better be food waiting back at the Den...'_

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><p>End chapter.<p>

First mission is done! Next is the mission with Sakuya.

Review.


	5. Second Mission: Sakuya

I don't own Gods Eater Burst, it belongs to Namco.

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><p>After the first actual field mission and a lecture on the Aragami, Izanagi found himself sent out on another the following day. This time it was with the woman he had seen when Lindow first met him. What was her name? Sakuya?<p>

The helicopter deposited him onto the Wailing Plains. The area suited its name; rain fell in torrents with a chilly breeze to accompany it. The entire area was completely soaked with a barren landscape and nothing but lichen growing in patches on the ground and walls. A particularly strong gust of wind made him shiver and curse himself for not bringing a jacket.

_'The sooner I find Sakuya-san, the sooner I can go back,' _Izanagi reminded himself. He sneezed a little and sniffled, _'Ugh... I need to wear warmer clothes.'_

Because wind plus rain equaled cold, and a no sleeve jacket with only arm warmers and his navel exposed in said weather equaled a miserable Izanagi. Seriously... whose idea was it to make clothes like this? Shaking his head, he reached the rendevous point where Sakuya already was.

She turned around as he approached, "You're the new recruit I met earlier. My name's Sakuya Tachibana. Nice to meet you!"

_'At least she's nice. Like Lindow-san,' _Izanagi thought to himself. Knowing that much made him relax just a little.

"Are you nervous?"

He nodded.

"You need to relax," Sakuya scolded gently, "Or you'll find yourself freezing up at crucial times."

That... was true. Although Izanagi had a habit of proving other people wrong on certain things. It puzzled even himself. Maybe he was just good at finding ways to deal with stress? That was probably the most plausible answer.

Roars and hisses came from the distance, making Sakuya's expression become serious.

"All right. I'm going to brief you now. A number of Cocoon Maidens have been popping up here in the Wailing Plains and we have been ordered to exterminate them. During this mission, you're going to take the lead. I'll be backing you up from the rear. This is basic strategy for teaming up with a God Eater with a long-distance God Arc, so don't forget it."

_'Sounds simple enough...'_

"And don't get too far ahead. Always stay within firing range of your backup, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Izanagi said softly. They both leaped from the crumbling platform and onto the ground below. Izanagi took the lead as instructed and they headed towards the first Cocoon Maiden. The Aragami wasn't tough, it just took a lot more hits to take down than the Ogre Tail from the previous day. Unlike the Ogre Tail, the Cocoon Maiden couldn't move, so it was easy to dodge its spike attacks.

Izanagi would stab his knife several times in a swift succession before stepping back to let Sakuya open fire on it. This porcess was reapeated until the last Cocoon Maiden laid dead at their feet.

"Not bad, rookie," Sakuya applauded him, "Lindow was right when he said you wouldn't freeze up like all the others."

So he had been told. Izanagi was breathing heavily, trying to calm his pounding heart and to get his legs to stop shaking. He may have been quick on his feet but his stamina left much to be desired. Another cold gust blew through and Izanagi sneezed, "ACHOO!"

Sakuya laughed a little, "We should get back before you catch a cold."

_'You think?' _Izanagi's dry expression only made her smile widen. The white-haired teen only sighed before sneezing again.

Curse whoever was in charge of making these clothes.

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><p>Thankfully, Izanagi did not catch a cold. He was well-enough when he woke up the next day, and could go about his business as usual. He entered the lobby and went over to the desk where Hibari was working. He smiled kindly, "Morning."<p>

"Good morning, Izanagi," Hibari replied, "You have another field mission today. The Director must be very certain of you if he's sending you out on this many after your initiation..."

That was true. From Izanagi could piece together, most recruits weren't allowed to go out on missions until after two weeks of simulation battles. For him, it was four days before he'd gone on that mission with Lindow.

"Here are the mission details," Hibari handed him a file, "I wish you the best of luck."

... Was it just him or was there a spark of worry in Hibari's eyes? Brushing it off, Izanagi nodded his head with a thin smile and walked over to a bench to review the details. There would be two other God Eaters with him on the mission and they would be exterminating Cocoon Maidens and Ogretails.

"Ooh. Unlucky you," a voice from behind him startled him. Izanagi whipped around to see Shun and Karel there. Shun had his arms behind his head in a casual manner, but there was sympathy and pity glistening in his eyes, "You drew a bad lot if that's the mission you're taking."

_'What...?'_

At Izanagi's confused expression, Karel interjected, "You're most likely not coming back alive because of whom you're partnered with. Not that I care really..."

That only made him even more confused. Shun only grinned good-naturedly and patted him on the shoulder before he and Karel left him there. Izanagi stared at their retreating backs as he pondered the cryptic words.

_'What was that all about? And what did they mean by 'unlucky?'_

Somewhere inside him, the cold feeling of fear settled in his heart.

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><p>End chapter. So sorry I didn't get this out sooner. Next mission is Soma, everyone's favorite grumpy God Eater.<p>

Review.


	6. Third Mission: Soma

Soma's mission is here!

Don't own anything. I especially do not own the amazing God Eater OST.

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><p><em>"Boku wa koe ga kikoe masu ka? Satsubatsu-"<em>

Stop. Pause. Rewind.

_"Kanashimi ni nureta tsuki ga shizuka ni. Daichi wo akaku-"_

Stop. Pause. Rewind.

Izanagi did this over and over as the helicopter rumbled through the sky to the drop off point. The female singer's voice did little to soothe his nerves, even though it was his favorite song on his whole playlist. It truly reflected the state of life in the world. He closed his and leaned back against the seat, letting loose a brief sigh.

God, he was nervous. And scared.

Karel and Shun hadn't helped with their off comments about him not coming back from this mission. He had even heard Tatsumi whispering to Brendan and Kanon about the mission too. What was going on here? What was so bad about this, other than heading to unexpected doom should he be careless? They acted as if the manilla folder in his hand carried some kind of voodoo magic curse.

Izanagi had to stifle a giggle at that. It was inappropriately funny and disturbing.

_'I better stop right there,'_ he thought to himself. He pressed the skip button, opting for a more fast-paced sort of music with a Spanish flavor to it. Red eyes scanned the area below which looked like an abandoned iron yard that had seen better days.

"We're here, rookie," the pilot stated. Izanagi grabbed his God Arc and prepared to disembark. The helicopter hovered above the ground, the blades sending mist scurryin away in breezes. Izanagi leaped out of the flying aircraft and it took off, disappearing into the fog. The albino watched it until it left his field of vision and he then turned to look around him.

Honestly. It was eerie, like something out of a horror movie.

_'Like creepy ghost kids, rattling chains, thousands of white arms coming out of the ground reaching for- Okay, I'm stopping right there,'_ Izanagi shuddered, feeling goosebumps on his skin. His footsteps echoed throughout the area as he walked down the slippery concrete.

Izanagi's heart was thumping at a steady beat, keeping in time with the slow tempo of the music playing on his headphones. He breathed in the damp air that smelled of moss, water, and rust. A faint roar from the background made him whip his head around, eyes flitting about from side to side. Every muscle in his body was tense, waiting for an Aragami to come charging out at him.

Nothing came out.

"..." Izanagi turned back around and picked up his walking pace. In the distance, he could make out two figures with God Arcs. The red-haired male with sunglasses was talking to a hooded young man who looked slightly irritated. The red head noticed him and waved, trotting over to meet him.

"Hey, are you the rookie we've been hearing so much about?" he asked. Izanagi only stared back in response as he continued, not even letting him have time to answer, "I'm Eric. Eric der Vogelweid."

_'What is with Europeans and their long names?' _the white-haired male thought in exasperation. Not that Japanese or Hindu deities were any better. The one he was named after had a good-sized name too, but it was easy to remember.

"I suggest you take your cues from me, and learn to battle gloriously for humankind," the arrogance in Eric's tone was so thick, Izanagi could cut it with a knife. Someone thought highly of himself. Izanagi suppressed the urge to sigh all over again.

The hooded man, who had been standing off to the side suddenly took a defensive stance and ran towards them, "Eric, above you!"

Izanagi jumped back to avoid the Ogretail that had come out of nowhere. Eric wasn't so lucky.

The smell of blood and the sound of crunching bones mingled the pained scream of Eric. Izanagi stood rooted on the spot, unable to move, unable to breathe. The horrible sight of seeing Eric being eaten made his blood turn to ice. Yet, he couldn't tear his eyes away from it.

"Don't just stand there!" the hooded male yelled angrily as he killed the Aragami with one stroke of his buster blade.

"...!" Izanagi took a sharp intake of breath as he blinked his eyes, coming out of his hypnotic state. The Ogretail's body was cut cleanly in half, red blood spattered about its dead form.

"Welcome to this godawful workplace," the other male said sarcastically. Izanagi's attention snapped right to him when he heard his voice.

"I'm Soma. Not that you need to remember that," Soma said. Izanagi was finally able to look at him properly. Dark skin, a head taller than him, platinum blonde hair peeking out from underneath his hood, and feral blue eyes. A chill went down his spine as he stared into them. It was like looking a tiger in the face with no cage to separate you; to protect you from it. Izanagi ripped his gaze away from those eyes, trying to focus on something else.

A red gaze landed on a pair of forgotten sunglasses; Eric's glasses. Izanagi's face became somber as he knelt down and picked them up. One of the lenses had a fine spiderweb of cracks and a little smatter of blood. Izanagi didn't make any sound, save for shaky breathing, as he straightened himself back up.

"Sorry to break it to you, but this kind of thing happens on a daily basis here," Soma's voice betrayed no emotion. Izanagi swiveled his head to face Soma again, only for Soma to jab his God Arc at him, "What kind of place did YOU think it was going to be?"

_'Hell,' _Izanagi thought bitterly. But to Soma, he only stared back silently. For a brief second, Soma's face pulled into a half-smile, "Just kidding..."

The buster blade that had been pointed at him moved away, "Time's up. Let's go, rookie."

Soma turned his back to him, God Arc resting on his shoulder. Izanagi still openly stared at him, unsure of what to make of his partner.

"If you don't want to die, just stay out of my way as much as possible."

He started walking away without a second thought. Izanagi let loose a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His knuckles were white from the fierce grip he had on his God Arc and Eric's glasses.

"..." Careful not to break them even more, he pocketed the glasses and ran after Soma. The duo walked in silence until another roar cut through the air. They both readied themselves as a group of Ogretails backed up by Cocoon Maidens came into view. Izanagi steadied his breathing and charged forward.

Music blared in his headphones as he began the oldest dance humans had ingrained into the bodies should they ever be threatened. Blood and shrieks filled the air as the two God Eaters cut down their foes. A swing of an Ogretail's tail sent Izanagi sprawling flat on the ground, the breath forced from his lungs. He rolled to and flipped back onto his feet as Soma finished it off with a mighty blow.

Izanagi brought up his shield to block a harpoon from the last Cocoon Maiden while Soma went straight for the kill. The albino couldn't help but be in awe of the other's incredible strength. With the last of the Aragami disposed of, the helicopter came to pick them back up.

"Tell base that Eric is dead," Soma told the pilot gruffly. Izanagi slowly pulled himself in and collapsed on the ground with a loud thump. He felt like he'd been crying for hours on end. As the chopper took off back towards the Fenrir building, Izanagi opened his mouth, "Don't you care? That Eric is... dead?"

Soma glanced at him and Izanagi felt like a knife was pricking him, slowly sinking in to make him bleed. The elder then turned his head away, "No."

Just like that. No.

Because death happened all the time for God Eaters. Either you live to fight another day or you die, it was as simple as that.

"Mm..." Izanagi closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion seep out of is weary body.

His dreams were filled with blood and screams of the dying.

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><p>End chapter.<p>

Eric didn't give me a good first impression, I'll say this now. Gah, Soma, why do you have to be so tsundere?

Also, how's Izanagi? Do you like him? Hate him? Think he's on his way to becoming a Gary-Stu?(I do not want this last part to happen.) Let me know.

Review.


	7. Consolation

Next chapter. I still don't own God Eater Burst.

I still want 2 to be localized but... I'm 95% sure it'll be like Tales of the World: RM 2 and 3. Europe, America, and Australia ain't gonna get it. *Sigh* So sad... So sad...

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><p>Word of Eric's death spread quickly like wild fire.<p>

The team sent out to retrieve his God Arc had been successful and it was now sitting in storage. Izanagi had only caught a glimpse of the Old-Type gun being wheeled away to join the rest in suspended animation. After all, a God Arc with no God Eater was a dangerous thing.

He'd heard Gen mumbling sadly to himself while he nursed a glass of beer. The retired God Eater who had seen so much in his life time understood what it was like to lose a comrade before one's eyes.

"Don't be hard on yourself, kid. A shame though... For all of his bravado, Eric was a good God Eater."

Izanagi sat alone in the lobby in a casual position, arms crossed across his chest, one leg draped over the other, and his head bowed. His expression was one of sorrow on the other hand. The mission had happened only yesterday, and the nightmares had begun.

**_A blood red sky._**

**_Black shadows with glowing red eyes; Aragami leering at him._**

**_Eric being devoured and screaming in pain._**

"..." He closed his eyes, feeling a weight grow inside of him. If he had reacted faster... Eric wouldn't have had to die. The feeling of helplessness crawled its way into his heart, sickening him with its poisonous hold.

A feeling he hated and stubbornly ignored.

He gathered his scattered thoughts and tried to focus on something other than Eric's passing. But it was difficult to do when all the other God Eaters were murmuring to each other about it. He sighed and and slapped his face to psyche himself up a little, _'No, no. Stop being a downer, Izanagi, it's not good.'_

Izanagi could literally see his mother's disapproving face in his mind. He always had a bad habit of feeling guilty for things that were usually beyond his control. Like that time Takuto fell and almost broke his arm when he was away.

Needless to say, she scolded him for being "guilty for no reason."

Still, seeing someone die was not something he could just brush off. Not like Soma had.

Izanagi blinked once when the blonde popped into his mind. His mouth twitched downward into a slight frown as he thought about the elder God Eater. He'd been too much in shock to show he was appalled by Soma's blunt response to his question that day. Other than that... He really didn't know what to make of him.

"Oh, Izanagi," Hibari's voice brought him out of his self-induced daze and he looked up at her. The receptionist had a concerned look on her face, "Are you all right?"

_'Not really...' _he thought dryly. But his only response to bob his head in a nod.

"Kota was looking for you. He seemed really worried," she continued. Izanagi perked up at that. He hadn't seen Kota since the medical check up and was wondering what had happened to him.

"Where is he?" Izanagi asked.

"In his room."

The albino got to his feet and headed for the elevator. It wasn't that hard to find Kota's room, it was actually pretty close to his, which was a pleasant surprise. Inside, Kota was waiting for him, "Hey, so you really did survive."

Izanagi nodded silently.

"I'm glad... When I heard one of your partners died I thought..." Kota trailed off. He then shook his head, "Never mind. You're still alive, thank goodness for that."

Hearing Kota's concern was comforting, making a small smile appear on his face. Kota then went on to talk about Eric' death and asking if he was okay no, to which, Izanagi assured him he was feeling fine. The beanie-wearing God Eater truly looked relieved.

"So what do you think? About all of the other God Eaters?"

Izanagi cocked his head a little at the question, 'What is he talking about?'

Kota began to rattle off what he thought of the other God Eaters. Part of it was ranting about how there weren't a lot of females around to which Izanagi just gave him a "Give me a break," kind of look.

Regardless, this small break from depressing thoughs did wonders for Izanagi's mood.

"Any way, I just wanna say... Let's try to buck up!" Kota stated. A look of realization crossed his face and he then said, "Hey, Lindow seemed worried about you. He just went back to his room, so you should go see him!"

_'Lindow-san?' _Izanagi couldn't help feeling a little surprised.

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><p>At the end of the hall of the Veteran's section was Lindow's room, making it easy to find. Izanagi entered it, Lindow waiting fo him inside. The black-haired man had a sympathetic smile on his face, "Never had a comrade die in front of you, huh? Come to think of it, we haven't really talked yet."<p>

Izanagi held his neutral expression as he waited for the adult to say what he had to say. Lindow rubbed the ack of his head, "I'm not really much for talking either... But is there something you want to ask me?"

That was a bit unexpected and Izanagi's face showed it. What did he want to ask? He asked about Eric first and Lindow gave him the run down about he deceased God Eater. He had been a older sibling, just like he was. And now his little sister had no older brother anymore...

Ignoring the pang of pain in his heart, Izanagi asked about Kota.

Kota was an elder brother with a little sister as well who lived with his mother. He was a good kid even hough he slept through the lectures and missed vital information... supposedly. Izanagi couldn't help but feel a new found sense of kinship with the beanie-wearing boy.

Still, there was one person in particular he was concerned about, and now would probably be his only chance to know something.

"About Soma..." Izanagi spoke softly. A knowing light came into Lindow's eyes, "Soma, eh? Don't take it too personally, Soma may be anti-social but he really cares for his comrades. So, don't judge him too harshly, okay, rookie?"

Izanagi nodded, albeit with a bit more hesitancy.

"Is that all?"

Nod.

"Right, both you and Kota still have a lot to learn technically. Survive a while and you'll do fine. I'm counting on you... jut don't get killed. Got that?"

Izanagi nodded his head, not even bothering to answer verbally. He exited the room and returned to the lobby where the other God Eaters were milling about. He spotted Soma standing by himself next to the terminals and went over.

"What do you want?" Soma asked sharply. Izanagi blinked, "... Just saying hello."

In response, he got a glare, "Damn, you're overly-friendly. Lindow put you up to this, didn't he. That bastard... he should mind is own business."

"..." Izanagi decided right then and there that not judging this guy harshly was going to be difficult.

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><p>End chapter.<p>

Kota's mission next and one step closer to Alisa!

Review.


	8. Fourth Mission: Kota

Next chapter. School and Fate/Extra have been eating up my life, I'm sorry.

I don't own anything.

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><p>Izanagi stood at the terminal in his room, the screen flickering lightly as he typed his message. He clicked send and watched as the mail icon danced about as the message was being sent to its intended destination. He waited patiently for the familiar jingle of a new message in his inbox.<p>

He wasn't disappointed.

A new message appeared in his inbox and he clicked it eaerly. Red eyes reflected the white screen and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

_I miss you oniisan!_

_When are you coming home?_

_I've been a good girl, I swear!_

_I made a picture for you, niichan!_

_Kaachan said you're fighting bad guys now, is it true?_

He waded through the page of short and cut off sentences, most likely from his siblings fighting for the right to type a message, to reach a neat paragraph written by his mother.

_Izanagi_

_I apologize for that fiasco, Takuto got a hold of the computer and, well, you can probably guess what had hppened from there. We're doing fine, even though it is a little hectic every now and then. I guess we're so used to you doing everything from mending the clothes to cooking that I've lost my touch. Don't worry about us though. Just promise me that you'll be safe and do what you think is best._

_Your father would be proud..._

_Remember that I love you. ~ Mom_

The mention of his deceased father made his heart ache slightly. While part of him was happy to here that his family was okay, that small part in the back of his head was eating at him, saying he should be with them.

But no... He couldn't be with them all the time anymore. He was a God Eater now, this was where he was supposed to be. Even though Izanagi kept reminding himself of that fact, that voice that was his old self; an older brother, someone devoted to his family, kept nagging at him ceaselessly. He silently turned the monitor off and walked over to where his belongings sat neatly on a shelf. He reached up for a leather bound journal and grabbed it, mindful of Eric's sunglasses that sat close by. The leather was worn and soft against his fingers, the heavy scent of musk and sandalwood clinging to it.

_'Tou-san...'_ Izanagi closed his eyes and bowed his head, "..."

He then slid the journal back into place and exited his room. The one thing he had left of his father, he kept close but never opened.

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><p>Izanagi stepped out of the elevator and into the Den, his blue headphones in their usual place on his head. The whole place was devoid of any activity, save fo Hibari's typing. The albino male approached her and nodded his head in greeting.<p>

"Good morning, Izanagi," Hibari greeted him with a smile. His mouth curled into a friendly smile in response to that. The red-head chatted with him while he waited for his next mission announcement. He would bob his head ever now and then, just to show the receptionist he was listening.

It wasn't anything new, using motions and actions rather than words to express himself. But it did get tiresome at times when the other person couldn't read his moods. A shout of his name made Izanagi look up to see Kota waving at him from the top of the stairs. Izanagi bade Hibari farewell and walked up to meet the enthusiastic male.

"Hey! You're looking better today," the younger noted. He continued, "I'm glad. Since quite a few people have died over the past week, it's been rather mellow in here."

"..."

"It also looks like we'll be partners this time around too!" Kota stated cheerily. Izanagi blinked and tilted his head a little. The beanie-wearing teen didn't notice the elder's confusion and rattled on about Sakuya being strong and really pretty.

_'Isn't she a bit old for you though?'_ Izanagi thought with a raised eyebrow as he and Kota went to grab their God Arcs and head out. This time around, walking towards the helicopter didn't feel like going out to a potential death sentence. Not like it had when he went out to find Soma and Sakuya.

Kota chattered on about many other things. Like about how Shun and Karel were jerks and the latest episode of Bugarally. Izanagi listened attentively and finding it refreshing for once to have a partner like Kota this time around. If anything, it helped lighten his mood much more.

"So uh... what are you listening to?" Kota asked suddenly.

"... Over the Clouds," was the short reply.

"Whoa, really?" Kota's eyes lit up and he started talking about the song and some of his own favorites by the same artist. The two of them socialized(Well, Kota did anyway) with each other until a blast of frigid air hit the helicopter.

_'Aw, damn it,_ Izanagi's face became sour. His skin prickled from goosebumps and the chill of the air around them. They had come to a snowy landscape, the sight of an old village with a temple.

_'...'_ Izanagi recognized this place. Kota yelled, "All right, we're here! Hey, Izanagi, let's see who can get the most Aragami on this misson!"

They both jumped out, shoes crunching on the fine layer of snow and they both began their mission. The duo ran through the maze like paths between the old houses, cutting down the Cocoon Maidens and Zygotes they came across. Izanagi would dash forward and release a volley of stabs upon the enemy, then pull back to let Kota fire off some powerful shots. Other times, they would both be raining bullets upon the enemy.

Eventually, they came across the Aragami they had come to defeat.

The Kongou.

The monkey Aragami was fast and huge. Music blared from his headphones as Izanagi blocked a swing of its arm, distracting it so Kota could get a clear shot. Kota's bullets disrupted its balance, making it fall to the ground. Izanagi was given a clear shot and he charged.

The Oracle Cells flared up into a black mouth and bit into the Kongou's side. It howled and Izanagi felt power run through his body. He was faster now, and had three Aragami bullets at his disposal. Without a second thought, he passed two of them to Kota, then fired his last one at the Kongou.

"Try this on for size!" Kota yelled and released his supercharged bullet. Izanagi rolled out of the way, avoiding the brunt of it. The Aragami wasn't so lucky. It roared one last time, then fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Alright!" the 15-year old cheered loudly. Izanagi retrieved the core and walked back to his partner.

"That was so awesome! With how you charged in with your sword and pulled back to let me at them," his eyes were literally sparkling, "We make such an awesome team!"

"Yeah..." was the soft reply. Kota phoned base to tell them to pick them up while Izanagi wandered off. The white-haired male's boots crunched softly with every step until he came to he temple. He walked up to the doorway and stopped. Everything was still crumbling, and the statue was still there.

"..." Izanagi gazed long and hard at the interior of the ruined building, a scene playing out in his head.

_Cold._

_It was always cold here._

_The small child shivered and wrapped the ratty blanket around himself, but it did little to stave off the chill._

_Would he die here?_

_Eyes closed and the child continued to shiver violently._

_Then something warm was wrapped around him, making him look up._

_"What are you doing here all alone?"_

The memory faded to black, red eyes opening once more. Izanagi heard Kota yelling his name, and he turned his back on the temple. Soft snow flakes began to fall around the two of them as they headed back to the drop-off point.

Nothing remained, except the footprints left behind in the snow.

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><p>End chapter.<p>

Review.


	9. Fifth Mission: The First Unit

Next chapter of No Way Back.

I am back! So, I don't own God Eater, it belongs to Namco.

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><p>Some time had passed since that mission to the snowy village and Izanagi had established a routine for himself. He had been diligent in taking missions with the others and wracking up any Fenrir Credits that he could for his family, saving only a little for himself. If he had his way he would've just sent all the money to them but that would've incurred his mother's scolding, so he didn't.<p>

During this time, he became aware that he was part of the handful of rookies that had survived. The unlucky ones had perished in their scuffles with the Aragami, leaving Fenrir's staff to break the news to grief-stricken loved ones. One incident had stood out in particular when he had gone to receive his mission report from Hibari. A man and a little girl were there talking to her, the elderly man with a grave expression on his face. The little girl was struggling not to hold back tears and choking out words that were hard to make sense of.

The man had turned out to have been Eric's father, and the girl was Eric's little sister. Izanagi remembered the girl turning to him with all of the hate a child her age could muster in her eyes.

"That's right! You all should just die! You didn't save Eric; all of you God Eaters deserve to die!"

Needless to say, he had been taken aback and couldn't remember the last time a person's words had hurt him so deeply. Her father scolded her for saying such things before apologizing to him. Izanagi had shaken his head, a strained smile on his face.

"Hah..." he rubbed his eyes. Why did he have to focus on his depressing thoughts all of the time? Beside him, Kota was going on about an episode of Bugarally he had watched last night. His siblings were obsessed with that show while he had slightly warm feelings about it. It wasn't his favorite thing in the whole world if he had to be completely honest.

"-and then Osamu... Hey, Nagi, are you listening?"

Looks like he was caught. The sheepish smile Kota got in return answered his question and the red head puffed his cheeks out, "Man, I'm telling you how amazing last night's episode was and you zone out on me!"

The albino's smile became wide and he waved his hand, trying to calm the other down. Kota was having none of it though and berated the other in a playful manner.

"What are you guys doing?" Brendan and Kanon walked up to the duo. Kota was quick to tell the other two god eaters about Izanagi's "cold" attitude towards his story. The response was for the older male to roll his eyes at the melodramatic show put on by Kota.

"There! See?!"

Kanon giggled and Brendan chuckled softly. Gina and Tatsumi joined them a little while later, Tatsumi trying to get Hibari to go out with him on a date as usual. Izanagi listened to the conversation happening around him and replied to other people through his body language and facial expressions. A stray thought in the back of his mind pointed out he could just carry a notepad and pen with him. It would make everything far more easier than playing the "Learn Izanagi's moods" game with his coworkers. Then again, it would be rather silly of him to be hastily scribbling notes during battle and waving a piece of paper to his teammates who probably wouldn't be able to read what he had written.

That was a sure-fire way to get him, and anyone else who happened to be with him, killed.

Izanagi brought himself out of his thoughts just in time to hear Brendan say that he and Kanon were going on a mission.

_'I should go too.'_

"Okay, then Nagi and I will be going too," Kota chimed in as if reading the albino's mind. Izanagi blinked slowly, at a loss temporarily, but then he got over it and nodded his head.

"Good luck on your mission!"

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><p>"Aaaahhh! Finally back. That was a piece of cake!" Kota said as he stretched his arms over his head. It had been just a simple eradication mission; clearing a small group of Zygotes that had been wandering a little too close to one of the residential walls. Izanagi wandered down to the lower level of the Den, waving to Kota to tell him that he'd see him later.<p>

His boots clacked against the metal stairs and he came to a stop at the bottom. The huge tv screen was on and Sakuya was watching the news on it. Izanagi's eyes went from the older woman to what was being shown on the screen. A female news reporter was speaking while a video of people marching with protest signs was playing next to her.

"Earlier today, a crowd of protesters had gathered in front of the main Fenrir building demanding an increase of employment and rations. The crowd marched for one hour before dispersing peacefully."

She went on to talk about other things but his attention was drawn away from the screen. Sakuya had noticed him and had started to speak to him, "Hey rookie! I heard that you've been doing pretty well lately. The higher ups are very impressed by you exceeding their expectations, they can't praise you enough!"

"Erm, thank... you?" Izanagi said, using his voice for the first time that day. The black haired woman smiled, but there was a tinge of worry in it, "I'm probably worrying over nothing but... the greatest god eaters tend to die young so..."

Izanagi's expression morphed into a "Why are you telling me this?" face.

"So what you're saying is that I have a long life ahead of me?" Lindow's voice cut in, sounding a little amused. Sakuya rolled her eyes, "No, Lindow."

The corporal laughed, "Relax Sakuya."

Izanagi watched the two adults banter back and forth with one another, his eyes flitted from one to the other like he was watching a tennis ball being punted back and forth on a tennis court. The two of them seemed to have forgotten he was there though, so he took that as a sign that he should probably leave. He walked away from the duo and went to meet Kota down in the cafeteria.

_'Once I finish dinner I can go get some sleep for tomorrow...'_ Izanagi thought to himself while the elevator rattled down to one of the other floors.

Tomorrow would be another day of hunting.

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><p>The entire First Unit was sent out on a mission together. The First Unit being Soma, Sakuya, Kota, Izanagi, and their leader, Lindow. All five of them were out in the ruined City of Mercy per the mission statement their leader had received at the start of the day. The Albino stood by the edge of the cliff they were all on, watching the area around them.<p>

There was no sign of life, as usual. But somewhere in there was the Aragami they needed to take down and probably more hiding in the shadows.

"..." he adjusted the headphones on his head and kicked the dirt beneath him. The tell-tale sound of Lindow approaching them made the god eaters all turn to their leader.

"Another great day to work! Return to base safe and sound, that's all."

Izanagi stared blankly at the man who was his leader. Was that all his orders ever were? Kota seemed to agree with his thoughts, "Huh? That's it?"

"You won't last long if you keep questioning him like that," Sakuya chimed in. Soma huffed, "What a drag..."

Lindow gazed at the three of them for a bit before continuing, "Well it's nice to see that except for one of us, all of our hearts are connected."

Immediately, Izanagi found himself the center of everyone's attention and he looked down at his feet. A morose frown appeared on his face and it did not go by Lindow.

"Hey, come on, don't make that face. I'm just messing with you, Izanagi."

Shocked red eyes flitted back up before devolving into a exasperated glare. Lindow laughed at the albino's expense, ignoring the fact that the rookie was glaring daggers at him. The dark-haired male spoke to them all again, "This will be the first time all four of you have been on a mission together, so do what you guys always do."

"Huh? What about you Lindow?" Kota asked.

"Well... I've been asked on a secret date today, so it'll just be the four of you right now." A beeping noise cut through the silence and Lindow pulled out a black cellphone.

"Geez... If I don't get there in time my date will get mad and leave. Talk about impatient..." Lindow sounded annoyed for a second, then his tone took on it's usual friendliness, "That aside, my orders are as usual: Don't die, and make sure you come back alive."

Soma made a soft snorting noise under his breath, "They're your own orders. Better make sure you follow them yourself."

"Try not to stay out too late, okay Lindow?"

Kota and Izanagi both wore similar expressions, feeling rather left out during the exchange.

"Nagi, do you feel left out? I feel left out."

Izanagi nodded his head, "Mm..."

Lindow gave a casual good-bye wave before walking off to do his own thing, leaving the rest of them to do the mission. Sakuya, being the senior to them all, was the one who took charge, "All right, let's go everyone!"

The group jumped down from the spot and took off to find their target.

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><p>End chapter.<p>

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